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“Ethan?” I suggest and Ryan nods in agreement.
Ethan inclines his head, but before he can open his mouth to accept, Bonnie interjects. “Guys, um, no. Trust me you don’t want Ethan to do this.” She shoots her husband a meaningful look.
I might be stretching things here but because we’d just been speaking to Antonio yesterday, I immediately assume that Bonnie’s fear is because Ethan might react the same way as Antonio did.
“The private investigator can watch it,” Xavier suggests but I’m already shaking my head, bile rising to my throat at the thought of some stranger looking through what could be my sister’s video.
“I’ll do it,” Brooke says in a strangely calm voice. She covers my hand with hers. “Just a few seconds to confirm, right? It’ll be fine Stella, we’ve got you.” She sends a reassuring nod to Xavier and Ryan. “The man is going gown permanently.”
One way or another.
Everyone seems to offer a collective sigh of relief once that that choice has been made.
Carmen’s voice pierces the ensuing silence. “Once we hand over evidence, I’d like to take a trip to Seattle before returning to Mendoza. I want to look into that scum’s eyes when I tell him his life is over.”
“Actually, Carmen, I’d like to go too,” I say.
A slow smile spread on Carmen’s face. “Let’s make it a girls’ trip then.”
Ryan comes to me, pulls me to my feet and gathers me in his arms. “I need to go to Seattle as well. I’ve been away from my desk for too long. It’ll be my pleasure to take you girls.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I beam.
Carmen and I hurry through the early morning drizzle, dashing across the wide courtyard of Ocean Gate Enterprises. Too impatient to accept Fred’s offer of an umbrella escort, we stride quickly across the busy Seattle street and into the glass-paneled lobby.
With Don’s assistant being questioned and unlikely to show up for work today, his desk is going to be empty or manned by a temp.
Having attended business meetings and enjoyed torrid lunch dates here many times in the past two months, I’ve become a well-known face around here. We clear security and head upstairs, a thrill of excitement running through me as the gravity of what we’re about to do dawns on me.
This is it. The confrontation, the closure I’ve been yearning for.
Carmen must also be feeling the same because she takes my hand as we make our way toward the bank of elevators that will take us to the top floor.
As expected, his assistant’s desk is empty. It’s just 8:30 a.m., HR is probably still scrambling to find a replacement.
Carmen waits outside while I push open the double doors leading into the CEO’s office. Ryan’s office.
Don looks up, his expression paling in shock until he composes himself, settling his face into the usual half-leer. “Stella!” Don booms, leaning back in his chair and steepling his fingers. “I’m surprised to see you in Seattle, let alone in my office.
Ryan’s office.
“To what do I owe this pleasure?”
“Just a bit of unfinished business,” I drawl, looking around the office which bears Ryan’s signature of dark wood and light furnishings.
It’s very much the same. Even the crystal shark paperweight I gave him just before I left Seattle is still on his desk, making Don seem all the more like an intruder.
Don follows my gaze all around the room, and apparently he can’t resist twisting the knife. “You know Stella, I never got to say thank you. I was going to become CEO eventually—Ryan was bound to slip up and fall on his face, you see, but you made it easier by leaving.”
“Did I?”
“Of course you did. So he cheated on you and fucked a model in London. And so what? What’s a little bit of cheating?” He questions.
“I don’t know, Don, you tell me. You seem quite at home with the subject.”
He only laughs in a cruel way. “It’s just as well. Ryan should have taught you that you can’t make it as a sniveling child in this family. You need thicker skin, and the ability to take things on the chin. Obviously, you lack those qualities. And mark my words, Ryan will take back every cent you think you made away with. Unless I help you.”
I saunter closer to Don and perch on the edge of the desk instead of sitting in one of the chairs opposite him. I want to be able to look down at him.
